The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and reviewing documents from a former DVS employee. The Veteran's claim for service connection for drug addiction secondary to PTSD will be reconsidered.
The deciding factor: The examiner is required to provide an opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's drug addiction is caused by or aggravated by his already service-connected PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- drug addiction
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2017
- Citation
- 1704101
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1704101.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the March 27, 2025 request for an extension of time to file an appeal from a rating decision issued on December 16, 2019 that denied service connection for depression, drug addiction, and PTSD is not timely.
- Partly granted
The Board remanded claims for bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome, right knee disability, and drug addiction due to new evidence. Claims for PTSD, other psychiatric disabilities, and drug addiction were denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for an extension of his Chapter 30 educational assistance benefits was denied as he did not meet the criteria for an extension due to lack of medical evidence showing a disability prevented him from initiating or completing education within the eligibility period.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for depression, anxiety, and drug addiction is dismissed due to the death of the appellant.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.